LeBron James Lands Endorsement Deal With Kia Motors America

Kia Motors America (KMA) has hit the jackpot locking down an endorsement deal with the most marketable and popular player in the National Basketball Association (NBA), LeBron James.

Specifically, James will assume the role of ambassador for its new luxury sedan, the K900 according to an official press release from the car company. Kia is also the official vehicle of the NBA and has been the title sponsor of the league for eight years now.

"They're also the title sponsor of the NBA and they did a lot of great promoting as far as the game," LeBron James said via an ESPN article. "And me being one of the top guys in our league, to try to promote the game, I thought it was fitting.”

Terms of the deal were not given but the endorsement contract is expected to run for multiple years on a multimillion value. The Kia deal is the first car brand endorsed by LeBron James with previous and current endorsement partnerships with Nike, Sprite, McDonalds, Coca-Cola, Upper Deck, Cadbury Schweppes/Bubblicious and Juice Batteries among many other brands.

Coupled with his NBA salary in 11 years in the league and multiple endorsement deals, Forbes lists LeBron James as the third highest paid sportsman in 2014 with roughly $452 million total salary so far.

The K900 is Kia’s luxury car worth about $60,000 in the market.

“As fans of the game of basketball, we were honored to learn that one of today’s most influential athletes and tastemakers recognized something different was going on at Kia and wanted to check out our new flagship sedan,” Tim Chaney, vice president of marketing communications, KMA, said in an official press release via its website.

“Like Kia, LeBron James does not want to be confined by conventions or traditional definitions, and as our K900 Luxury Ambassador his star power will cause people to question everything they think they know about our brand.”

Aside from LeBron James, Kia is also being endorsed by the likes of Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers) Michelle Wie (golf) and Rafael Nadal (tennis). Kia is also a title sponsor in tournaments like the FIFA World Cup and the Australian Open.

Griffin once dunked over a Kia car in an NBA All-Star Weekend Dunk Contest. It remains to be seen if LeBron James will do the same over a Kia luxury sedan.